Alkane triol tris-j



United States Patent 2,857,402- Pa't ented Oct. 21, 1958 ALKANE TRIOL TRIS-3,4-EPOXY CY CLO- HEXANECARBOXYLATES Benjamin Phillips and Paul S. Starcher, Charleston, W.

Va., assignors to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application May 21, 1956 Serial No. 585,955

9 Claims. (Cl. 260-348) wherein, R represents a trivalent aliphatic group having up to 22 carbon atoms and R R R R R and R represent hydrogen and alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms. More specifically, the compounds which are especially useful are those wherein the total number of alkyl groups as represented by R through R; on any one cyclohexane ring does not exceed five, and the total number of carbon atoms contained by these alkyl groups on any one cyclohexane ring does not exceed 12. The preferred compounds of this invention are alkanetriol tris (3,4 epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) compounds which may be characterized by Formula I, wherein, however, R represents a trivalent alkane group having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms and no more than one valence on a single carbon atom and R R R R R and R represent groups as previously defined. Particularly preferred compounds include alkanetriol tris-(3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate), alkanetriol tris-(l-methyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) and alkanetriol tris-(6-methyl-3,4- epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) compounds and may be characterized by Formula I, wherein, however, R represents a trivalent alkane group, R R R and R represent hydrogen atoms, and R and R represent groups from the class of hydrogen and alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Representative trivalent aliphatic groups such as those characterized by R in Formula I include groups which may be regarded as being the residue of trihydric (alcohols) without the hydroxyl groups. Examples of such trihydric (alcohols) include aliphatic triols, such as 1,2,3- propanetriol, trimethylolmethane, 1,1,1-trimethylolethane, 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, cycloaliphatic triols and aromatic triols, such as 1-al1yloxy-2,4,6-trimethylolbenzene, l-phenylpropane-1,2,3-triol, 1,4-benzopyran-3,5,7-triol, and the like.

The compounds of this invention can be prepared by the oxidizing action of an epoxidizing agent, such as, peracetic acid, acetaldehyde monoperacetate, and the like, on

an aliphatic. triol tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate)- startingmaterial which may be characterized by the general formula:

wherein R, R R R R R and R are as previously defined.

The treatment of an aliphatic tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) starting material, as represented by Formula H, with an epoxidizing agent can be carried out to epoxidize the double bonds of the starting material. The treatment of an ethylenically unsaturated starting material with peracetic acid and the ensuing reaction may be characterized by the general equation:

wherein, R, R R R R R and R are as previously defined. The reaction of an ethylenically unsaturated compound with acetaldehyde monoperacetate proceeds in a similar manner. However, in addition to acetic acid being formed in the reaction there is also formed acetaldehyde, as a by-product.

The reaction as characterized in the foregoing equation can be carried out by charging an organic triol tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) starting material to a reaction vessel and then gradually adding the epoxidizing agent. The epoxidizing agent is preferably employed as a solution in a suitable solvent, as for example, acetone, acetal, methyl ethyl ketone, butyl acetate, and the like, in order to provide ease of handling and to remove the explosion hazard which attends the handling of highly concentrated or crystalline peracetic acid.

The epoxidation reaction can be carried out at a temperature within the range of -25 C. to 150 C. Longer reaction times are preferred at the lower temperatures of this range to produce high yields. At the higher temperatures of this range, side reactions form undesirable materials which can be removed by purification procedures. Reaction temperatures in the range of 10 C. to C. are preferred. The reaction conditions can be maintained until an analysis for epoxidizing agent indicates that substantially all of the epoxidizing agent charged to the reaction vessel has been consumed.

The molar ratio of epoxidizing agent to organic triol tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) starting material may be varied over a wide range. As shown by the foregoing equation a ratio of three mols of epoxidizing agent to one mol of starting material theoretically may be used. Molar excesses of one or the other reactant over the theoretical amount :may be used-without--seriously affecting-the reactlon or 1ts efliciency.

When desired or after completion of the reaction, the

solvent e'niployed; and umi'e'aetd peraceticacidand acetic acid and acetaldehyde if any, fgrmed during the react-ion 'f This can be can be removed from the reaction mixture. expeditiously accomplishedby feeding the reaction mixture into a still kettle containing apotboiler, such as ethylbenzene, which is refluxing under reduced pressure, and stripping the low-boiling components; The epoxidized product can be recovered as residue and refined, as by distillation.

Organic triol tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) starting materials can be prepared, in accordancewith known procedures; by: condensing ha 3cyclohexenecarboxylic acid with an organic triol. For example, a 3 -cyclohexcnecar boxylicacld and anorganic trioli are mixedrin a mol ratio of about 'three fmols-bf acid peri :mol-of--triol= and-themixture heated iota-temperature inzthe rangeof .100" C. to 200 C; v in an :a'zeotrope forming s'o-lvent,- such as toluene, benzene-and the-like; Waterformedby the .-re-' action is: continuouslyg removedbyreflux and the-polyester product recovered as-residue. V

The various organic triols which maybe used to prepare organic triol tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) starting materials include aliphatic triols, such.as ""1,2',3-propanetriol, trimethylolmethane,;. '1,l htrimethylolethane hydes for subsequent oxidation to 3-cyclohexenecarboxylic.

acids include, acrol'ein and butadiene, croto'naldehyde and butadiene, m'ethacrolein and butadiene, acrolein' and isoprene, 'crotonaldehyde and isoprene, 'methacrolein and iso prene, 'acrolein and 1,3 pentadien, 'crotonaldehyd'e"Lfand pentadiene, methacrolein and pentadiene, acroleinPand' 2,3 dimethylbutadiene crontonaldehyde and.2,3-ldimethyl-I buta'dinej 'methacrolein Land 2,3-dimethylbutadiene; and: the-like; Thus; the cyclohexenylrin'g of the aliphatic frriol i tris-'( 3-cyclohexene'carboxylate compounds may :have =a variety ofalkylsubstituents depending on the -choice ot startix'rgrnaterials,

The compounds of thisxinvention are particularly :use-

ful asfmonomeric .components of :polymerizable compositionsp. .For'example, 'these'compounds may be hardened" by the addition of about 0.4 weight percent of sulfuric 'acid and heat 10 'formi'hard, tough, transparent polymers. Compositionscontaining the compounds of this invention canrbevsemployed in molding compositions, as surface coatings, asadhesives, and thellike.

The followingexamples: are presented. in -the'se .examples; thezanalyses'forepoxy.group content are based upon the; reactioni of' epoxy groups with'pyridinerhydrm chloride to I form -the .chl'orhydrin and pyridine; An. analysis-'of 'this typemay'be performed by introducing into a pressure-bottle, containing 25 milliliters of 1 N' pyridine hydrochloride in chloroform, an amount ofepoxide sample calculated to "consume about percent of the pyridine hydrochloride. The'bottle is then sealed and the contents heated in a steam .bathfora period of one hour. At the end of'this time, the bottle and contents are cooled,"10drops of'phenolphthaleinindicator (1.0 gram per 100' milliliters of percent ethanol) added, and the mixtures titrated to a permanent. red end .point. .with standard 0.2 N alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution. A blank is also run in precisely-*the same fashion Without, however, the inclusion of a sample. The amount of pyridine hydrochloride consumed-man be determined and from this determination the amount of epoxide in the sample can be calculated. p

The analyses in the examples for determining epoxidizingiagent' content, i. :e., analyses .for peracetic. acid .or. acetaldehyde monoperacetate content, may Qbe performed by introducing a 1.0 to 1.5 gramfsamplemf-unknowri epoxidizing agent content into a flask containing a mixture of 60 milliliters of aqueous. i(50.we'ight. percent) sulfuric acid and 5 milliliters of a saturatedpotassium iodide solution. The flask then 'isnswirledfto .mixthe solutions and then titrated immediately with a 0.1 N aqueous sodium thiosulfate solution to a colorless end point.

In order to determine the acetic acid'content, another 7 sample of approximately the 'same size ista'ken at the same time. This sample is'intro'duced'into a'flask 16011 taining IOO'millilitersof water'and 15"millilitersiofiacetah' I dehyde. The flask and contents are allowed'to' stand 1 'for 10 to 15 minutes 'aft'ermixirrgiso as tQpermit'What ever peracetic acid and/or acetaldehyde 'mon'operacetatej present in the sample to be convertedinto'aceticacid. The acetic acid of the solution is then titrated with a 0.5*N*

sodium hydroxide solution using a phenolphthalein indicator. The amount of acetic acid in the original sample is then taken to be equal to the total acetic acid as determined by titration with sodium 'hydroxide, minus the amount of acetic acidr'coming from the. reaction of peracetic acid and acetaldehyde, or from the decomposition of acetaldehyde monoperaceta-te present in the original sample. The amount of acetic acid formed from reaction of peracetic acid with acetaldehyde, or from decomposition of acetaldehyde monoperacetate, may be calculated from the sodium thiosulfate titration -data3 '0f:ithe-' iprece'ding epoxidizing'; agent analysis on thezbasis:ofstwoimoles dot"- acetic acid being formed from each mole' IOfifiPOXi'CllZlfl'g;

agent EXAMPLE 1" V 0 Preparation :ofiL-Lletrimethylol-propana:tris-(3,4

eppxycyclohexanecctrboxylate)' Six hundred and "forty one grams '('1.'4-n1ols)* of 1,1,1 1 trimethylol-propanei tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylatefifjwere; 1

added to aifive-liter flaskffitted'w'ith' astirrer, the'rmomet and dropping funnel; The flask and contents were heate to a temperature of flask. During'this dropwise'addition', the flask was'immersed in a water'bath to maintaimthereaction'temperature .at'about 30 C. to' 35C. After all the peracetic acid solutionhad been added, the reaction was allowed-to continue for an additional three'hours. The reaction stripped ofi at'akettle temperatureof not greater than= 70C. There wasobtained7l8 gramsofa residue-prodf uct which" was ianalyzedas containing-93.6 weightperee'nh of 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane tris-(3,4-epoxycyclohexane carb'oxylate) by determination-"of epOxide' group, 4.86

weight percent of 1,l,l-trimethyl olpropane tris (3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) bydetermination of double bonds; and 0.7 weight percent of acidic impurities; calculated asf acetic acid. The yieldof 111,ltrimethylolpropane tris- (3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate)J was calculated at}? percent.

In a "similar manner 1,2,6 'hexanetriol"t1is-(1-ethyl 3,4-

epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) can be prepared from 1,2,6 hexanetriol tris-(1-ethyl-3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) and 1,2,6-hexanetriol tris-(6-methyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) can be prepared from 1,2,6-hexanetriol tris- (6-methyl-3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of 1,2,3-prpane-triol tris-(3,4- epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) Seven hundred and thirty-seven grams (1.77 mols) of 1,2,3-propanetn'ol tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) were placed in a five-liter, four-neck flask fitted with a dropping funnel, reflux condenser, stirrer and thermometer. The flask and contents Were heated to a temperature between 30 C. and 35 C. with stirring. Over a period of five hours, 2480 grams of a 24.2 weight percent solution of peracetic acid in acetone (said solution containing 605 grams of peracetic acid) were added dropwise to the flask. During the dropwise addition of peracetic acid solution, the flask was maintained at a temperature between 30 C. and 35 C. by immersion in a water bath. After all of the peracetic acid solution had been added, the reaction was allowed to continue for an additional 1.5 hours. The reaction mixture was stored in a cold bath at an approximate temperature of 11 C. overnight. Then, the reaction mixture was added dropwise to about 2060 grams of ethylbenzene which was refluxing at 25 millimeters of mercury absolute pressure. During the addition, acetone, acetic acid, peracetic acid and ethylbenzene were distilled 06, and after completion of the addition, all low-boiling materials were stripped off at a kettle temperature below 70 C. There were obtained 866 grams of a residue prodnot which was analyzed as containing 63.8 weight percent of 1,2,3-propanetriol tris-(3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate of epoxide determination, 9.65 weight percent of 1,2,3-propanetriol tris-(3-cyclohexenecarboxylate) by determination of double bonds and 0.22 Weight percent of acidic impurities which were determined as acetic acid. The yield of 1,2,3-propanetrio1 tris-(3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) was calculated at 67.4 percent.

' EXAMPLE 3 Compositions of 1,1,1-trimethyl0l propane tris-(3,4- epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) and sulfuric acid catalyst A mixture was prepared from 5 grams of 1,1,1-trimethylol propane tris-(3,4-epoxycyc1ohexanecarboxylate) and 4 drops of a 25 Weight percent solution of sulfuric acid in Water. This mixture contained 0.4 weight percent of sulfuric acid based on the total weight of mixture. The mixture was allowed to stand overnight for a period of about 16 hours. After this time, the mixture was heated to C. and held there for a period of 35 minutes, during which time a gel was formed. This gel was maintained at a temperature of C. for a period of 1.5 hours. An opaque product having a Barcol hardness of 34 was obtained.

What is claimed is:

1. A compound characterized by the general formula:

wherein, R represents a trivalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms and no more than one valence on a single carbon atom and R R R R R and R represent groups selected from the class of hydrogen and alkyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

2. 1,1,l-trimethylolpropane tris-(3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) having not more than 6 alkyl substituents of 1 to 4 carbon atoms on each cyclohexane ring thereof.

3. 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane tris(3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) 4. 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane tris (1-methyl-3,4-ep0xycyclohexanecarboxylate) 5. 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane tris (6-methyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarb oxylate) 6. 1,2,3 propanetriol tris 3,4 epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) having not more than 6 alkyl substituents of 1 to 4 carbon atoms on each cyclohexane ring thereof.

7. 1,2,3 propanetriol tris (3,4 epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate).

8. 1,2,3-propanetriol tris (1-methyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) 9. 1,2,3-propanetriol tn's-(6-methyl3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,857,402

October 21, 1958 Benjamin Phillips et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, lines 3 to 11, formula II should appear as shown below instead of as in the patent- Attest KARL H. AXLIN E,

ROBERT C. WATSON, Attestz'ng Oficer.

aonwm'ssz'oner 0 f Patents. 

1. A COMPOUND CHARACTERIZED BY THE GENERAL FORMULA: 